Freetown, October 12, 2026 — Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has suspended four senior officials and issued a formal written apology to Hon. Mohamed Sidie Tunis following an internal investigation into the alleged misuse of official ministry documentation for visa purposes.
According to the ministry, an Investigative Committee set up to review the September 2023 visa-processing exercise identified significant deficiencies in administrative and consular procedures, document verification, authorization, supervisory oversight, and institutional controls.
The ministry has referred the report and supporting evidence to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for a statutory investigation. Pending the ACC’s findings, management approved the immediate suspension of four officials: Mr. Alieu Badara Mansaray, Head of Chancery at the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Algeria and former head of the Consular Unit at the time of the incident; Mr. Thomas Alfred Sengeh, Acting Deputy Secretary; Ms. Isatu Joelyn Jalloh, Senior Assistant Secretary; and Ms. Shamit Aminata Tarawallie, Second Secretary at the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Ireland.
Management also approved the immediate withdrawal of Mr. Mansaray and Ms. Tarawallie from their overseas postings.
The ministry emphasized that these measures do not constitute findings of criminal wrongdoing or final determinations of individual responsibility. Further action will depend on the ACC’s findings and applicable law.
Additionally, management directed the ministry to issue a formal written apology to Hon. Mohamed Sidie Tunis for procedural failures within the ministry’s systems and any resulting prejudice. The ministry stated it is strengthening its administrative and consular safeguards and will cooperate fully with the ACC.
